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Puppy Chow: A Simple Snack

If you grew up in the Midwest area of the United States, you have most likely heard of the sweet snack called Puppy Chow! Strange enough, I have found people calling this snack a few other names including Muddy Buddies! Call it whatever you want, but you will love to have this snack on hand, especially during the summertime. Let’s talk and show how to make these today! It’s easy, so don’t shy away!

The first steps is to measure! Many times, the box of Chex is 12 oz so you will use the whole box. Place that into a large mixing bowl and set off to the side. Next, open the whole package of semi sweet chips and dump into a microwave safe bowl. I will post my favorites for you to try down below! Next, measure out 3/4 cups of peanut butter and add into the chocolate. Add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract. Next, microwave the mixture in 30 second intervals. Stir between each time. Watch that you don’t burn the chocolate! You want a smooth mixture without lumps that will be easy to pour.

Now comes the messy, and most controversial part! I am an Iowan, and people in Iowa make their Puppy Chow in bags! They don’t put the mixture in a bowl, they put it into a plastic bag, or even a garbage bag! I use bowls, but I know this is going to make a few people angry! Gently fold the chocolate with the cereal while trying not to break the mix. Coat everything! Be careful, this is always a messy step. (You can use a bag if you want. It does work and it is less clean up.)

Again, this is something most people in Iowa dump right into a bag, which is fine! Next, coat your mix with powdered sugar. This is when I add the cinnamon if I wish. It is really hard to tell you an exact measurement, because it will vary. I don’t like a whole lot of powder sugar, while others like it looking like the snow fall on Christmas day! Shake and stir your mixture together until you are happy with the end result.

After this, you are basically done and can’t start serving right away! You can store in a container with a lid for a few weeks. I keep mine in the fridge, but you can keep it on the counter. This is just my take on this traditional snack. I know there are many different ways to make Puppy Chow which includes butter and other things. They all work, and I would love to see yours in the comments!

What do you call this all time favorite snack? The cool thing is that you can use Puppy Chow for about anything! You can use it as a snack, a desert, or a midnight snack. We have even done Puppy Chow bars where you start with the base and add your own toppings. Some people use white chocolate instead. Whatever you create, I hope you have fun with the process!